CONFIDENTIAL
My3 02711
117
151215
MDHIAN 1151
TOP COPY
26 JUN 1991 Q Dis
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO DESKBY 1408OOZ F C O
TELNO 881
OF 140621Z JUNE 91
ED
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
16
YOUR TELNO 629: HONG KONG MINISTERIAL MEETINGS
1.
IT WAS NOT MY INTENTION TO REFER TO ANY SPECIFIC MEETINGS IN SPEAKING TO THE MFA, ONLY TO SAY THAT I WOULD BE RETURNING TO LONDON FOR A FEW DAYS. THE LONGER I LEAVE IT THE GREATER THE RISK THAT THE MFA WILL PLAN CALLS, EG ON QIAN QICHEN, AND LI PENG, FOR THE PERIOD WHEN I WILL BE AWAY. IN QIAN'S CASE THE RISK MUST BE QUITE HIGH ANYWAY: HE ONLY RETURNS FROM THAILAND ON 15 JUNE AND WE NOW HEAR THAT THE WILL BE VISITING NORTH KOREA FROM 17 20 JUNE. FROM THE CHINESE POINT OF VIEW, THE WEEK BEGINNING 24 JUNE WILL THEREFORE BE THE EARLIEST THAT A CALL COULD BE ARRANGED AND THE MFA MIGHT WELL BE THINKING OF FITTING ONE IN THEN. I WILL NOT BE GIVEN A CALL ON LI PENG (WHICH MAY WELL BE COLLECTIVE) UNTIL I HAVE SEEN QIAN. THIS MAKES IT THE MORE IMPORTANT THAT I SHOULD SEE LU PING BEFORE MY RETURNING TO LONDON. (MY CALL TODAY ON THE DIRECTOR OF THE MFA'S HKMAO BEING REPORTED SEPARATELY PRODUCED NOTHING IN THE WAY OF HINTS ABOUT THE CHINESE REACTION TO THE PRIME MINISTER'S MESSAGE).
2. AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND, I CAN CERTAINLY DELAY SAYING ANYTHING TO THE CHINESE UNTIL NEXT WEEK, BUT I SHOULD PREFER NOT TO LEAVE IT AS LATE AS 19 JUNE WHEN I EXPECT TO PRESENT MY CREDENTIALS.
MCLAREN
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
30
LIMITED
HKD
FED
PS
NNUN
DISTRIBUTION
30
PS/LORD CAITHNESS
PS/PUS
SIR J COLES
MR BURNS
PAGE
1
CONFIDENTIAL
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